Steam and water separator



June 12, 1934. c. E. LUCKE STEAM AND WATER SEPARA' IOR Filed Aug. 28, 1930 NVENTOR [gar/es AT M NEY Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES STEAM AND WATER ssraaa'roa Charles E. Lucke, New York, N. E, assignor to The Babcock '& Wilcox Company, Bayonne, N. 5., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 28, 1930, Serial No. 478,494

12 Claims.

This invention relates to steam and water separators and more particularly to a steam and water separator adapted for use in a high pressure system.

An object of the invention is to provide a steam and water separator adapted for use in a high pressure system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steam and water separator which may be encased in a simple cylindrical casing.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in this particular art from the description in the specification in connection with the drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a side view of the invention in section; and

-Fig. 2 is an end view of the invention taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

One embodiment of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration in which a cylindrical casing 1 with a flanged bottom 2 is shown secured between plates 3 and 4 by bolts 5. The upper portion of the casing '1 is closed by a head 6 mounted therein and made steam-tight. The inner portion of this head 6 at the center thereof is tapered downward substantially to a point and presents a surface of revolution radially from that point. An inlet pipe 8 is mounted in the bottom plate 4 in steamtight relation therewith, and an extension 9 thereof extends upwardly through the casing, terminating just below the pointed portion of said curved head.

A casing 10 is located within the casing 1 adjacent thereto and has a restricted end 11 substantially in the form of a cone, the apex 12 thereof being flared to form a nozzle in conjunction with the pipe 9. An inner casing 13 has an end 14 shaped substantially in the form of an inverted cone, the upper portion thereof being flared inwardly at 15 to form a nozzle with the inside of the casing 10. An intermediate casing 16 has an upper end 17 in the form of a cone, the apex thereof being flared outwardly to form a nozzle 18 with the casing 13.

A steam collecting pipe 20 of torroidal form with perforations in the lower side thereof is disposed between the casings 13 and 16 and has a steam outlet pipe 21 connected thereto. The steam outlet pipe is connected with the lower plate 4 in which the steam outlet pipe extension 22 is mounted in steam-tight relation therewith. A water outlet pipe 23 is located below said steam outlet ring 20 and extends upwardly into the chamber formed by the casings 13 and 'This pipe is mounted in the lower plate 4 and 16, to such height as to permit a substantial head of water, the pipe 23 forming an overflow pipe for the water to be collected in said chamber.

an extension 24 thereto is mounted in the lower end of the plate 4 in steam-tight relation therewith. The bottoms of said casings 10, 13 and 16 have perforations therein to permit the head of water which will be limited by the overflow pipe 23 to tend to form a head of the same height in all the casings. The head of water within the chambers of these casings will be of such height that there will always be a water seal in the lower chambers, notwithstanding a loss in pressure in the steam and water mixture while flowing through theseveral nozzles that would tend to efiect a difierence in the head of water within the several water chambers.

In the operation of this device the mixture of steam and water enters the pipe 8 and flows 5 through the extension 9 and is directed against the point of the head of circular revolution 6. By virtue of the contour of the head 6 the mixture is given a circular direction of. flow as indicated by the arrows. By virtue of this direction of flow the heavier portion of the mixture, which is of course the water, tends to flow towards the outside and 'a certain amount will be separated from the mixture and will flow down the inside of the casing 1. Because of the water seal formed by the head of water, the steam, with a certain amount of water l'eft therein, will not flow through the space made by the inner side of the casing 1 and the outer side of the casing 10, but will turn upwardly as indicated by the arrows and pass through the orifice 12 into the chamber formed by the conical portion 11 of the cylinder 10 and the inlet'pipe 9. A certain amount of water will be separated because of this change of direction. In passing through this orifice the steam will be given an added velocity and will be directed downward as indicated by the arrows to the bottom of the chamber formed by'the conical portion 14 with the pipe 9.

The mixture of steam and water will again be blocked by the water sealin the lower part of the casing and its direction will be changed as indicated by the arrows. An additional quantity of water will be separated at this point where the direction of flow of the mixture is changed, and the water will flow down to join the water in the bottom of the casing through the path formed between the casing 13 and the pipe 9. The mixture of steam with whatever water may be left therein will flow upward as indicated by the arrow, and fiow down through the orifice 15. An added velocity will be imparted to this mixture in the orifice l5 and it will be directed downward as indicated by the arrow.

At the bottom of the chamber formed by the casing 10, and ends of casings 17 and 14, the

steam will again be prevented from going downward by the water seal and will be directed upwards as indicated by the arrow, and fiow through the orifice 18, and a further separation will be effected from this change of direction and the water will flow through the passage made by the casing 10 and the casing 16.

By virtue of the orifice 18 an added velocity will be imparted to the steam and any water which may still be contained therein. The mixture will be directed downward and again be blocked by the water seal. Here again its direction is changed and any water which may be contained in the mixture will be separated therefrom, and the steam will pass upward and out through the perforations in the torroidal steam outlet pipe 20 and thence through the steamoutlet pipe 21. The excessive water removed during these operations will flow out the water overflow pipe 23.

Although three inner casings have been shown in this specific embodiment of the invention described, it is apparent that any number may be added if these are insufiicient to separate all the water from the steam, and while a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown it is apparent thatsubstitutions, modifications and additions may be made within the spirit of the invention as limited by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by" Letters Patent is- 1. A steam and water separator including in combination a cylindrical casing, a head therein forming a surface of revolution, an inlet pipe adapted to direct a mixture of steam and water against said head, a plurality of concentric casings having substantially conical ends, the ends.

of certain of said concentric casings forming nozzles through which the mixture of steam and water is adapted to pass, a water outlet pipe 10- 4 cated in the lower part of said first named casing are adapted topass successively, a water outlet pipe located in the lower part of said first named casing, and a steam outlet pipe located above said water outlet pipe.

3. In a steam and water separator, a casing, a head therein forming a surface of revolution, an inlet pipe directed against said head, walls forming a plurality of connected chambers within said casing, certain ends thereof forming noz- 4 zles, a water outlet pipe in the lower part of said casing, said outlet pipe being so located as to permit a quantity of water to be retained in said casing to form a water seal,

4. In a steam and water separator, a casing having an axial inlet admitting a mixture oi! steam and water, walls forming a plurality. of chambers spaced axially of said casing, water seals at the bottom of said chambers, said chambers connecting in series above the water level therein and having nozzles in the connecting passages arranged to increase the velocity of the mixture of steam and water.

5. In a steam and water separator, a casing having an axial inlet pipe admitting a mixture of steam and water, walls forming a plurality of chambers around said inlet pipe and'connected in series within the casing with velocity increasing nozzles therebetween, a water seal for the chambers located in the bottom of the casing, said chambers being formed and arranged to direct the mixture of steam and water successively therethrough and to separate water from the steam and water mixture and cause the water to move down to the bottom of the casing by means of gravity.

6. A steam and water separator comprising a cylindrical outer casing closed at one end, means for discharging a mixture of steam and water towards and adjacent said closed end, a plurality of casings within said outer casing and having concentric body portions and end portions of conoidal shape cooperating with parts of adjacent inner casings to form velocity increasing nozzles spaced axially and radially of said outer casing, said inner casings and cooperating parts uniting to form a fiow path between each successive nozzle providing an abrupt change in direction of the steam and water flowing therebetween, a dry steam outlet from said outer casing, and means for withdrawing the water separated by inertia during said change in direc-- -for discharging a mixture of steam and water towards and adjacent said closed end, a plurality of casings within said outer casing and having concentric body portions and end portions successively contracting and expanding and cooperating with adjacent parts to form nozzles of annular cross-section spaced axially and radially of said outer casing, said inner casings and cooperating parts uniting to form a flow path between said nozzles providing an abrupt change in direction of the steam and water flowing therebetween, a dry steam outlet from said outer casing, and means for withdrawing the water separated by inertia during said change in direction.

8. A steam and water separator comprising a cylindrical outer casing closed at one end, means for discharging a mixture of steam and water towards and adjacent said closed end, a plurality of casings within said outer casing and having concentric body portions and end portions of varying cross-section cooperating to form a steam andwater separating compartment having a restricted steam and water inlet at its upper end, a tapering bottom, and a restricted steam and water outlet intermediate its length, said restricted outlet being spaced axially and radially relative to said inlet, a dry steam outlet from said outer casing, and means for withdrawing the water separated in said compartment, and providing a water seal for the bottom of said compartment.

steam and water separating chambers axially arpanding velocity increasing nozzles; a steam and water inlet pipe; a water outlet pipe; and a steam outlet pipe, said nozzles being relatively arranged to direct the steam and water introduced into the casing by said inlet pipe through successive changes in direction of fdow sufficient to cause water to be separated from the steam.

10. A steam and water' separator including in combination an outer casing; an inlet pipe for discharging a mixture of steam and water toward and adjacent one end of said casing; a plurality of concentric casings within said outer casing and surrounding the inlet pipe; an end portion of each said inner casings being of conoidal shape, the said conoidalend of one inner casing cooperating with an adjacent part 01 the inlet pipe, the said conoidal ends of the other inner casings cooperating with parts of adjacent inner casings to form a plurality of gradually expanding velocityincreasing nozzles arranged to direct the steam and water introduced into the casing by said inlet pipe through successive changes in direction of flowsufilcient to cause waterto be separated from the steam; a water outlet pipe from the outer casing for withdrawing the water separated from the steam during said changes in direction; and a steam outlet pipe from the outer casing for withdrawing dry steam therefrom.

11. A steam and water separator comprising a vertical casing; means for introducing wet steam intothe upper end of said casing; a dry steam outlet from the lower portion of said casing; vertically spaced walls extending across the flow path of the wet steam as it passes from the upper end of the casing toward the dry steam outlet; said walls defining a series of connected ranged within the casing, each chamber having a wet steam inlet at its upper end and a wet steam outlet intermediate the ends thereof, said walls effecting an abrupt change in the direction or the flow path of the wet steam during its passage through each chamber to cause the water to be thrown out of the wet steam by inertia toward the bottom of each chamber; and means connected with the bottom portion of each chamber for withdrawing the water separated therein. a

12. A steam and water separator including a vertical casing; means for introducing wet steam into the upper end of said casing; a dry steam outlet from the lower portion of said casing; a plurality of casings within said outer casing having concentric body portions and end portions successively contracting and expanding, the contracting and expanding end portionsextending across the flow path of the wet steam as it passes from the upper end of the casing toward the dry steam outlet and defining a series of steam and water separating chambers axially arranged within the outer casing, each chamber having a wet steam inlet at its upper end and a wet steam outlet intermediate the ends thereof, the outlet from one chamber constituting the inlet for the next successive chamber; said walls eilecting an abrupt change in the direction 01' the flow path 01' the wet steam during its passage through each chamber to cause the water to be thrown out of the wet steam by inertia toward the bottom of each chamber; and means connected with the bottom portion of each chamber for withdrawing the water separated therein.

' CHARLES E. LUCKE. 

